


Heartbeat! Trouble in Harbei Town Part 1

by ShuaWrites



Series: HEARTBEAT! The Bellrung Gang [2]
Category: HEARTBEAT (Video Game)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-24
Updated: 2020-10-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 07:33:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27179968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShuaWrites/pseuds/ShuaWrites
Summary: A family of bounty hunters, and people to protect.Ding Sawyer and his adopted children: Chime, Toll, Peal, and Knell all work together to take on requests from residents of Piecewood to try and maintain the peace. However, during their day-to-day jobs, Ding finds that his past that he thought he had long escaped from catches up to haunt him once more. Will he be able to protect his family and lay his past life to rest?Follow along on this tale of a rag-tag of bounty hunters, and watch as their lives begin to reveal their truer selves.
Series: HEARTBEAT! The Bellrung Gang [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1972453
Kudos: 5





	1. Chapter 1

“Yeehaw! C’mon Harmony, c’mon!” Ding ushered, leather reins gripped tightly within his hands as he rode upon a horse. The skin of the horse was colored a dark-brown as white spots dotted its body. The white carapace that ran along its back had a leather saddle fastened onto it and a red-scarf that was identical to Ding’s tied around its neck. He rode through the scarlet forest, a wide grin spanned across his face while his eyes gave a wild stare to the path ahead of him. He expertly guided his horse through the forested landscape, keeping his body close to the horse and keeping his head low to avoid any wooden limbs that Harmony galloped through.

The steady and ferocious beat of Harmony’s legs against the ground resounded through the trees of Cirruwa Forest, however Toll and Chime were experiencing a different ride through the forest. The siblings rode upon a wagon that was being pulled by two horses that had grey-colored skin and a white underbelly and matching carapace. They were significantly larger than Harmony and were more muscular, for they were raised for labor while Harmony was Ding’s prized horse. 

“There he goes again,” Toll began, “how much Yuan are you willing to bet that he leads her into a tree again?” she spoke snidely, her orange eyes gazing to the left of her to eye Chime. The leather reins were grasped loosely within her large hands, her forearms resting against her lap while the horses pulled the wagon along the scarlet forest at a calm pace. The Barghast leaned back against the wooden backrest of the driver’s seat, his right hand rising to cup at his chin while his lips furled in a contemplative manner, his red-eyes gazing towards the sky. “How about...50,” Chime answered, his gaze meeting Toll’s as she gave a boisterous guffaw at this. “I’ll hold you to it!” Toll remarked, a grin of her own appearing on her face as she gave Chime’s shoulder a firm slap with her right hand. 

“Oh, and I’ve been meaning to ask, but what’s up between you and that little mailman? Didn’t know you had it in you Chime, putting yourself out there and what have you.” Toll stated, her grin steadily relaxing and smoothing into a warm smile as she regained the reins with both hands. The Dustdevil’s orange eyes returned to focus on the road ahead, as Chime pinched the tip of his hat before tilting it downwards, obscuring sight of his face from the Dustdevil.

“Just focus on steering the wagon,” Chime began with an annoyed tone to his words, “besides, I’m a grown man, I do what I want.” He crossed his arms over his chest, heaving out a heavy sigh through his nostrils as a plume of ember-filled smoke were shot out from his flared nostrils. Toll snorted at this, “Woah there hot shot, didn’t know you were becoming a “man” all of a sudden! Where’s the reserved and well-behaved big bro that I know, huh?” The Dustdevil mocked, egging him on as she nudged Chime’s waist with her right elbow.

Before Chime was able to retaliate, an avian with cinnamon-brown plumage perched itself upon the roof of the carriage, casting a shadow down upon the two siblings with its impressive wingspan blocking out the sun. Then, a small, bug-like creature with a leather brown cowboy hat and matching vest peek around from behind the large bird. They were both Yin Mogwai, and they were of the Jinwu and Wanderlight species respectively. 

The Wanderlight tipped her hat towards Chime and Toll as the Jinwu began to fold her wings against her sides. “Well howdy my dear older brother and my monster of an older sister, what brings y’all out here in Cirruwa?” The Wanderlight inquired half-jokingly, a sly chuckle escaping from her as both Toll and Chime glared towards her, immediately dropping their own antics between each other. 

“Oh come now Knell, is that anyway to treat your older brother? Especially when he’s already started swooning over such a cute lil’ man?” The Jinwu remarked, her voice shifting from a scalding tone to a more sing-songy tone as if she could just pinch Chime’s cheeks. The Barghast turned his head away from all three Yin Mogwai, another plume of embers and smoke exiting through his flaring nostrils. “We’re going out towards Harbei for a bounty alongside Mr. Sawyer, and I’d appreciate it if you and Peal would steer clear from my own personal life.” 

“We’re just tryna help our big bro, ain’t that right ladies?!” Toll called out as Peal and Knell cheered alongside Toll. “We just want to see our brother happy, make sure he ain’t getting into something that he can’t handle.” Knell chimed in, hopping off of Peal’s back and landing onto Chime’s shoulder, and using her short arms to attempt hugging the Barghast’s face. 

Chime then plucked Knell off from his shoulder, sitting the Wanderlight down upon his lap as his head turned to face his three sisters. With his left, index finger, he’d tip his hat upwards, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “I suppose we’re all in this together.” Chime stated as he gave the little Wanderlight upon his lap a pat on the head. 

Toll turned her head to focus down the road once more, “Always have been big bro,” she remarked as she cracked the reins. The horses reared, their pace increasing as the four siblings rode towards Harbei together.


	2. Chapter 2

Due to Ding treating the ride through Cirruwa Forest as if it were a race, he was the first to break through the forest and arrive in the town of Harbei. Harmony trotted through the streets as Ding sat up straight upon his horse. The leather reins clutched within his left hand while his right arm rested upon his lap. Passerbys all gave confused, but not hostile gazes towards him and his horse. He had even tipped his hat towards a child and his mother, causing the kid to give a playful chuckle his way as Ding offered a confident grin in response. 

Ding steered Harmony towards the two-story homestead that had a light-blue sign nailed against the front of the house reading “Tide Pool Pediatrics”. As he and Harmony got near the front door of the clinic, the cowboy Sheepsquatch dismounted from his horse, leading her towards the nearby river that was to the left of the clinic. Harmony craned her head downwards, beginning to take a few sips at the pristine, Harbei waters as Ding tied her to a nearby tree, its orange-brown leaves rustling in the gentle winds that swept through the town. 

Ding marched up the sloped river bank, his right hand reaching upwards to take off his hat as he held it by his side. Now standing in front of the door of the clinic, Ding gave the wooden door a mighty knock with the knuckles on his left hand, moving it to begin searching for the letter that he had placed in his back-pocket earlier in the day. 

It was not long till the doorknob twisted and the door was pulled open, revealing a shorter woman with fair-skin and scruffy blonde hair that wore a long, light-teal lab coat that had the sleeves rolled up and left unbuttoned to reveal the white and cyan striped button-up, long-sleeved shirt underneath. She also had on a matching cyan shirt underneath it, with a dark-teal bow tie fastened around the collar. She wore dark-teal pants with matching suspenders and matching dress-shoes that had light-cyan straps. To top it all off, she wore cyan goggles and gloves, alongside a white fanny pack with a blue-cross design.

The woman looked up towards Ding, and Ding simply stared back, holding out the letter towards her. “So, are you--”

“You are tall.” The woman interjected, perhaps unknowingly.

“Right, but are you--” 

“And you look nice in your clothing.” The woman spoke once more.

“Levi Athens?” Ding inquired, flashing the letter in front of her face.

“Ah! That would be me, so you must be D-Ding Sawyer, right?” she questioned, her expression shifting to a state of shock, a stutter beginning to form in her words as she cautiously reached for the letter. Ding allowed Levi to grab hold of it, maintaining his now exasperated gaze upon the lady. “So, tell me more about these miscreants that have been terrorizin’ Harbei, if you’d be so kind.” 

“R-right, well, there have been a group of bug-like Mogwai roaming around Harbei and acting sporadically. I deduct that they have been under some sort of substance that has made them act this way, perhaps some sort of drug or poison. I would like for you to find the cause of it in order to keep the peace of our town.” Levi spoke matter-of-factly, a tinge of confidence in her words, “i-if you will...” before falling back to a more timid demeanor. 

Ding, who has been extremely patient with her, took a step back to glance around the town. He then turned his gaze towards Levi, placing his left hand upon his waist as his brown-green eyes gave an inquisitive look. “So, where exactly are they? Folks ‘round here seem fine enough.” He questioned as Levi stepped outside, walking past him, and pointing towards a cave entrance located at the back of the town. “T-they camp out within the grotto, which is as y-you know, very hot.” Levi answered, Ding’s confidence taking a rather big hit as he placed his hat upon his head. 

“And what kind of Mog am I dealin’ with here? You said they were bug-like, right?” Ding inquired as Levi placed her thumbs underneath the straps of her suspenders. “Y-yes, they are known as Kanshakus, and they are most c-commonly of the Fire Element. They are known t-to fill other people with uncontrollable rage if they are to sting them.” Levi answered with the same tone as before, but quickly fell to her timid demeanor once more as she handed the letter back towards Ding. “H-here you are, and s-stay safe Mr. Sawyer.” Levi cautioned before stepping past him once more and entering the clinic, closing the door behind her. 

Ding folded the letter and placed it within his back-pocket once more. “What a strange little lady, oh well, s’pose all I can do is wait for the kids to arrive.”


End file.
